Socket Error 10060 is an error that occurs while using email, and it specifically refers to a timeout while communicating with the email provider servers. The causes can be found in email settings, in authentication settings, in firewall settings, in anti-virus programs and in the blocking of simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) by an Internet service provider (ISP). This error will most often occur while the computer user is sending email rather than receiving it.

The vast majority of all email uses SMTP for outgoing mail. Socket Error 10060 in most instances is related to the SMTP settings for the user's email. Every email provider has unique settings for its services, so a user must contact his or her ISP or visiting its support website to determine the correct settings.

When a Socket Error 10060 occurs, the user should first check the names of the POP3 and SMTP servers to ensure that they are correct. The next thing he or she should check is the outgoing SMTP port. Email providers change this value more than any other in their individual settings. If authentication is required, the user should click the “Server Requires Authentication” box. All email clients should have this selection option.

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If the email settings are correct and the Socket Error 10060 is still occurring, the cause might be firewall software. The user should turn off any installed firewall software to test the email connection. If this resolves the error, the user should follow the instructions in the support documentation for that particular firewall software to create an exception for the email program.

When that does not correct the error, the user should open a command prompt and ping the SMTP server address obtained from the email provider. If the ping is unsuccessful and the computer is connected to a router, the user should connect it directly to the cable modem to test whether the router hardware firewall is blocking the SMTP traffic. If this is the case, the user should consult the router documentation to create exceptions for the SMTP port his or her email provider uses. Alternatively, the cause might be the SMTP server being blocked by the user's ISP. He or she should contact the ISP for possible workarounds or to request unblocking.

There is the possibility that a virus or malware is blocking SMTP communication. The user should update any anti-virus or anti-malware programs and run a complete scan. If a Socket Error 10060 is still occurring, the issue might be caused on the email provider's end. The user should contact the email provider and see whether there are any issues on that end.

Discuss this Article

RealitedPost 3

Be that as it may, I am sure that they have methods to ensure this kind of thing doesn't happen anymore. It is now more a matter of firewalls and other hardware or software that might cause this since SMTP is the standard protocol for moving messages throughout the world. Its interesting to note that even though some technologies grow older, they are not really being replaced with anything new.

You might have a brand new smartphone that does it all, but the emails you pull from the servers are using the same SMTP protocol as the old man who is still running a computer from the early 90's. I don't think that the protocols will be changing that much in the future because, as we have seen for the last few decades, it just works.

What might be coming down the pike could be things that enhance the software and its original intention, or in other words, its original reason for being created in the first place. With the ongoing battle against spam, you would hope that they would figure out a way to prevent people's mail boxes from becoming over run with the stuff, but I guess we haven't reached that point yet, huh?

I believe that is what the cloud is for. I don't know quite how it all works but apparently you have to sign up for a cloud service and once you do you should be able to retrieve messages from any type of device, from any location that has internet connectivity. I believe the servers that once sat in just one location are now spread throughout various parts of the world, to ensure that there is never a drop in service like what used to happen in the past.

Now this is an issue that really gets me upset sometimes. I understand that there are times when a technical glitch can cause problems system wide, but what about those people who have independent email accounts that they use for their personal business?

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to use other means and methods in order to get an email message to a client or customer. There should be ways to mitigate a problem like this to prevent the flow of business from coming to a halt.

I have been victim of the ISP blocking or otherwise preventing me from getting mail that resides on legitimate servers. Their reasons have been varied -- from them telling me that there's something sitting on the server that is potentially harmful, to me getting notified that the messages I'm trying to retrieve are too large to transfer. I don't buy that. These companies have to know that there are more than a million people using their servers for mail and folder usage so shouldn't they have planned accordingly?

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